Apparatus for extracting precious metals.



V. I. ZACHERT & P. A. BRANGIER. APPARATUS, FOR EXTRACTING' PRECIOUS METALS.

Patented Nov. 16, 19-15.

WITNESSES:

i g w n i w 2? 5% Z Z vic'roa I. zacnnnr, or SAN FRANCISCO, Ann PIERRE A. BRANGIEBI, or AGNEW, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS or ONE-THIRD 'rc VICTOR G. BONALY, or SAN FRAN- CISCO,. CALIFORNIA.

ArrAnArus JEOR nx'rnao'rmcrnECIoUs mn'mns.

Specificationpf Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. to, 19 15.

Application filed June a5, 1914, Serial no. 847,233. Renewed a riizo, 1915. Serial No. 22,717.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that we, VICTOR I. ZAonnR'r,- a' citizen of the United States, and resident of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, and PIERRE A. BRAN- cmR, a citizen of France, residing at Agnew, county of Santa Clara, State of California,

have invented .new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Extracting Precious Metals, of which the following is a specificae tion. A

This invention relates to an apparatus for extracting precious metals.

In every case in the metallurgy of precious metals the first step taken, when devising1 a.

method for its economic treatment, is to termine its amenability to the well-known amalgamation process. When the precious metals exist in a fairly coarse condition so that gravity will overcome the force of buoyancy, amalgamation is not absolutely 'neces sary to obtain a profitable recovery, but the greater portion of prec1ous. metals, as found in nature, consist of very small particles, and for this reason othermeans than gravity for its separation from the ore must be; This can be most economically resorted to. attained only by amalgamation. The physical condition .of the particles of precious,

metals has, however, a great influence on its adaptability to the amalgamation process; that is, the metals may beo-f a flour-like or in other words, sufiiciently buoyant to pass through an amalgamator with the wash water without ever coming. in contact with the plates or the mercury contained therein. Again, the metal particles may be. so oxidized, or, as. is universally termed, rusty, as to prevent them from uniting with the mercury.

One of the objects of the present inven- I tion is to overcome these diificulties, and to.

provide a simple, substantial, easily operated amalgamator which is capable of ofie'ring a large active amalgamatmg surface in "which the pulp is automatically advanced,

without contamination with the ingressing pulp, in such a-manner that every metal particle will be given ample opportunity to come in contact with the plates or mercury which are usedto form the amalgam.

Another object of the invention is'to rovide means for extracting any metals w "ch may be contained in solution, and also to re: move any oxide or foreign substances'inert to amalgamation, and to continuously produce alkali amalgam, such as sodium or po-' tassium, by electrolytic action. Further objects will hereinafter appear.-

. The invention consists of the parts and the'construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and clalmed, having reference to the accompanyingidrawings, in which- I igure 1 is a central longitudinal section 'through the amalgamator. Fig. 2 is a cross and adapted to be'given a continuous rotary movement by any suitable means, or, as here shown, by gears 4 and 5. Formed on the interior. surface of the'cylinder, or secured thereto,'-'is a continuous spiral flange 6 which forms aspiral fiume or way extending from end. to end of the cylinder and which'is provided for the purpose of feeding the material to be treated therethrough.

One end of the cylinder is closed bya head 7, and a plurality ofopenings 8 is formed at the same end through which the 'mater1al is permitted to discharge into a launder 9 which connects with a trap or like device not here shown.- The other end of the cylinder is partly open, as indicated at 10, and extending through said opening is a feed launder 11 through which the'material to be treated is delivered. Mounted interior "of the cylinder and running practically through the entire length of same, in a p-a1; allel position with relation to the interior surface of the cylinder, is a plurality of anodes 12; The outer ends of the anodes are carried by thehead 7 and are suitably insulated from same and secured to their extreme outer ends, outside*of head 7 is a contact ring 13. The other ends of the anodesmay' be suitably supported, or, as here shown, carried by brac et members 14 whichgyare insulated from. the cylinder. Se-,

cured exterior of the cylinder, near the discharge end, is a second contact ring 15, and engagin with the rings 13-and I is a pair of brus es 17 and. 18 which/complete a ered to the cylinder.

circuit between a suitable source of electric supply, such as a dynamo or battery, not here shown.

In operation, it is preferable to mix the material with an alkali solution, such as sodium or potassium hydrate. This, together with the vmaterial, is delivered through the feed launder 11 into the front end of the cylinder and is from this point gradually advanced by means of the continuous spiral flange 6. The interior surface of the cylinder may be coated with mercury, as are the surfaces of the spiralflange, or a suitable amount of free mercury may be admitted with the pulp or otherwise deliv- The continuous rotary'movement of the cylinder will cause the pulp and solutionto be partly carried up on one side-until the angle for support becomes tog great. The pulp and solution will thus constantly be turned over and over and will regularly progress from one spiral to the next, at the same time submerging some of the anodes. An electrolytic action is thus set up in the solution which causes the desired decomposition to take place, causing any metals to deposit-inv the mercury or on the mercury-coated interior face of the cylinder which actsas a cathode. It also liberates the alkali metal and permitsthis to amalgamate with the mercury. Metallic sodium or potassium, when added to mercury, produces an amalgam of greatly increased activity or amalgamating power. Gold which is highly oxidized or coated with a foreign substance inert to amalgamation by ordinary treatment will in this instance immediately become amalgamated. Even platinum and metals of the platinum group. will likewise be attracted by this highly active mercury combination. Furthermore, the constant turning over of the pulp, caused by the rotary movement of the cylinder and the advancing movement of the spiral flange, gives every metal particle an opportunity to be brought into contact with the free amalgam or amalgamating surfaces. Pregnant solutions may also be successfully handled by the present form of apparatus as the electrolytic action will cause the decomposition which will liberate the metal in solution andcause it to deposit on the oathode. A highlyeflicient amalgamator is thus produced in which a large amalgamating' surface is presented and over which the material is constantly turned and advanced.

, The continuous forward advancing movement of the material or solution furthermore prevents any contamination with the ingressing pulp. The gangue or solution dis charging through the openings 8, together .with any amalgam which may escape therefrom, may be conveyed by the launder 9 to a trap, sump, or to any other suitable apparatus where the different materials may be separated, if needed, and from where the solution may again be returned, when used. A continuous operation is secured and practically no sodium or potassium is lost, as all free alkali-decomposed by the electrolytic action is again absorbed by .the solution when freed from the amalgamator.

The materials and finish of the several parts of the amalgamator, together with'the construction and position of the anodes, may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer or operator may dictate. We also. wish it understood that the cylinder may be jacketed, as indicated at 24:, to permit circulation of a heating fluid, such as steam, or the like, as it has been found verybeneficial in the, treatment of certain solutions.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an amalgamator, a horizontal cylinder, a continuous spiralfiange on the interior of the cylinder secured to the inner circumference thereof, said flange having series of apertures which register longitudinally of the cylinder, and an anode passed through each series of apertures and being insulated from the flange.

2. In an amalgamator, a horizontal cylinder having a head at each end thereof, the head at the front end of the cylinderhaving av feed opening, a continuous spiral flange on the interior of the cylinder secured to the inner circumference thereof, said flange having series of apertures which register longitudinally of the cylinder, an anode assed through each series of apertures and eing insulated'from the flange, said anodes having their front ends spaced from the front cylinder head and having their rear ends passed through the rear cylinder head, and a contact ring secured to the rear ends of the anodes on the exterior of the cylinder, said cylinder having a peripheral discharge -,at its rear end on the inner side face of the and a discharge atthe other.

4. The combination in a continuous electrlcal amalgamator of a horizontal cylinder havlng a head at each end, the head at the memes front end having a feed opening, said cylinder having peripheral discharge openings at the other end, means for causing infed material to progress gradually from the feed end to the discharge end on the rotation of the cylinder, and an electrode Within the cylinder adapted to be submerged on the retation of the latter, the cylinder forming the other electrode, substantially as described.

VICTOR I. ZACHERT. PIERRE A. BRANGIER.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. HERRING, W. W. HEALEY. 

